The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that passes all men’s understanding… what a powerful phrase… what a wonderful description of Jesus!

Having researched the dictionary’s meanings of grace, I will give just a few…Grace is beauty or charity of form; the unmerited love and favour of God towards mankind; mercy; clemency; and thoughtfulness before others.Grace is also a title of respect and is forgiveness to those who do harm to you by word or deed.

Praise our Lord for His grace to us.Jesus throughout His entire ministry exuded His grace, knowing the same people who would condemn Him and crucify Him; He forgave them, even Judas who betrayed Him with a kiss.He did not chastise him or accuse him in front of His other disciples.He even washed his feet.I don’t know anyone else who would have the infinite grace to do this.Even when Judas kissed Him, Jesus did not abase him, but all He said was, “Do what you have to do”!!

The whole of the New Testament gives accounts of our Lord’s grace.Praise God.Jesus was betrayed by a kiss.A kiss is commonly used as an expression of affection, yet in Judas’ case, it was given to show to the temple guards which one was Jesus.Instead of a symbol of love, it was turned into a symbol of betrayal.

How many times in our lives have we been two-faced?How many times in our lives have we made promises and never kept them?How many times in our lives have we thought we know best?We blindly do actions without firstly asking the Holy Spirit to guide us.

The word KISS is used in every sales training course I have ever attended.It stands for: Keep It Simple Stupid!!

The whole teaching of our Lord Jesus was showing us a simple way to salvation; not through pomp and glory; not by building massive gold domed temples; not by wearing expensive robes; and not by glorifying ourselves in front of congregations.

Jesus kept it simple.He taught us the way to salvation was to follow Him.He told us to love one another.He told us to obey God’s commandments and to ask the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Why do we try to complicate things?Life would be so simple if we only prayed to the Holy Spirit to show us how to control our actions.A typical example of action without guidance was Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 17th Century.It was accredited to him that he returned from the Americas with two main cargoes.One was potatoes and the second was tobacco, which it was alleged, he introduced for the first time into Europe.

Potatoes became the staple food of Britain and fed the population until the potato famine in Ireland and the outcome was thousands of Irish immigrated to the USA to get more potatoes.That was the good cargo!Tobacco was the other cargo and what a disaster that has become!How many millions of people have had their health ruined and have suffered illness and death through Sir Walter Raleigh’s voyage and his ignorance of what would happen?That was the bad cargo!

Through our own lives, we can, I am sure, remember – I certainly can – the mistakes we have made and the pain we have caused others and even to our closest friends.Perhaps if Sir Walter had asked our Holy Father for guidance, he would have only brought potatoes back.

It is important to keep it simple to follow our Lord’s teachings.Show love and compassion even to those who may despise us.So through our example, they may also see the way to salvation that they may see in us such a difference that they ask us, “Why are you like you are?”And we can answer, “Because Jesus loves us and He loves you, and we love you.”

By our actions, we will be known.Let us at all times show in our lives the joy of loving our Lord.Let our meetings be full of happiness so strangers will cry out, “What have they got to make them so contented?What are we missing in our lives?How can we be like you?”We know.Let us share the good news.